In recent years, the need for innovative methods to protect individuals from direct and/or secondary contact with dangerous materials capable of spreading infectious diseases (such as laboratory spills, human blood, body fluids, body tissue, contaminated dressings and contaminated clothing and equipment) has grown substantially. This need has grown in direct proportion to the public's increased awareness and concern that infectious diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E may be contracted not only from direct contact with an infected person, but also from indirect contact with contaminated materials used in the treatment of infected persons or used in related medical research, mortuary and laboratory testing and blood banks.
In the last year alone, statistics reveal that there have been some 9000 cases of infectious disease transfer between patients and medical caregivers. Recent studies also show that sanitation workers who handle medical waste are also at substantially increased risk.
Barrier type products such as latex gloves and special biohazard disposal containers provide some protection, but studies show that currently available products are often not used and procedures are frequently not followed. This is often the case in emergency rescues and on-site first aid treatment where the increased risks of contamination are likely the greatest.
Rubber gloves (latex or vinyl), which are the most functional and widely used of current personal protection devices, have a number of troublesome drawbacks. Of primary concern is their ability to spread potentially infectious materials to equipment and people, greatly increasing the risk of secondary infection. The latex or vinyl glove is a personal protection device that typically remains with the caregiver or person doing the cleanup. Once used, the glove may be slippery and contaminated with blood or other body fluids. As the caregiver or cleanup person moves from one patient or clean-up task to another, there are one of two undesirable alternatives; he must either attempt to leave the gloves on, risking transfer of infected materials, or take the time to remove the used gloves and replace them with clean gloves, (often three or four pairs are worn together) taking valuable time from patient care. In many medical emergencies, seconds can be critical to the patients' and caregivers' health.
What has long been needed is a clean up protection device that remains with the patient, not with the caregiver. With such a device, the contaminated material is isolated and contained in one area so the treatment and clean-up job may be done faster, easier, with less cost and, most importantly, with less risk of spread of contamination.
Another need that has been long felt is the need to easily and quickly be able to put on and take off the protection clean up device. For example, it is a common occurrence in a wrestling match, boxing match or other sports event for a player to have a nose bleed or other injury that results in the presence of blood. The blood is a serious risk for all persons involved, including the participants, the coaches, the officials and others. Cleanup persons attempt to quickly put on gloves to clean up the blood. Gloves do not go on quickly or easily. They also do not come off quickly or easily. Thus the cleanup takes more time and makes delays to sporting event longer than is desired.
A cleanup device must be convenient to carry, simple to use, quick to put on and take off, and resistant to puncture. The device must be specifically designed to remain with the patient, so that the caregiver can clean up and treat other patients using other devices. Additionally, the device must effectively block the transfer of fluids, viruses, spores, bacteria, or microorganisms between caregiver and patient. At the same time, it must function in all weather extremes, provide direct medical assistance to the patient, be useful for a wide range of medical needs, and provide within the device itself the mechanism for safe biohazard containment and disposal.
In an effort to solve cross-contamination problems, a number of pouch-like devices have been suggested in the past. Many of the prior art devices are designed to be fitted over the user's hand and, after use, are designed to be turned inside out so that the cleaning surface may be encapsulated within the interior of the device.
For the most part, prior art devices fail to provide an effective barrier to infectious disease, microorganisms contained in human blood and body fluids and like contaminates. The prior art devices protect only one hand, leaving the other hand exposed to blood borne pathogens. The prior art devices cannot be turned inside out without exposing the second hand to possible contamination. The prior art also doesn't provide for application of soap, medicines, disinfectants, deodorants, etc. for medical applications.